I Never Thought That You Might Need An Anchor
by Tadpole24
Summary: "I've spent centuries chasing the Dark One. I won't stop now." My contribution to the post-finale angst-fest. Captain Swan in the moments after the finale ending.


_**Um, excuse me Adam and Eddy. I wasn't done with watching my two favourite characters for the season, so I thought I'd extend the scene a little…just because we all need that little extra angst in our lives.**_

 _ **Title from "Anchor" by Birds of Tokyo, which you should all go listen to because gah! Feels!**_

…

 _I Never Thought That You Might Need An Anchor_

…

She leans down, picking up the dagger and regarding it with an almost disinterested gaze, tilting it under the light of the lamp post and reading her name written across it. A slow smirk spreads across her face as she focuses on the blade, her heart beating wildly in her chest, overcome with a new sensation of _power._

But then…

"Emma?"

Her name called out to her as though through a dense fog. She looks up and sees the pirate approaching her.

 _The pirate she loves._

A jolt of electric pain runs through her body, protesting the love she wants to feel and embracing the darkness instead. There are other people gathered around her, but she can only see the pirate, his nervous steps carrying him towards her as though they are in a fearful standoff.

A part of her thinks, "Good", because she _should_ incite fear, she should be revered for her power. Another flickering and fading part of her wishes he would get to her sooner so she could just feel him pressed against her one more time, could touch his cheek and rest her forehead against his, could kiss him once more.

"Emma, darling…"

He reaches for her, hand barely stretched in her direction before she pulls the dagger from his reach with an almighty, "NO!" tearing through the air around them. The light above them shatters as her dark powers take flight and everyone but Killian takes an unconscious step backwards. She wonders idly why he is being so persistent, why he won't cower like the rest of them.

"Don't take another step, pirate," she says, her voice like ice and death.

But he still does, inching towards the Dark One with practised caution. He has approached this being many a time in his past and knows of its unpredictability, knows of the monster lurking behind his love's eyes, taking a hold of her soul and breaking it. Emma is strong though, has always been a fighter and, when Killian takes that final step into her personal space, he knows he will survive his act of brazenness because she is looking upon him with love.

"I don't want to hurt you," she murmurs, her eyes darting between her parents and him.

"You shan't, Swan."

Her gaze finally settles, staring him down, "You can't know that."

His hand reaches up to cradle her head, fingertips extending into her hair and pressing his forehead against hers, "I made a promise to always see the best in you, darling. I intend to uphold it."

She turns her head, letting a soft kiss fall upon his palm, before burying her face in his neck, breathing in and holding on for the moment when this is no longer her reality, when her heart and her soul are not being torn apart by an ageless demon.

"How does it feel?" Killian asks, just wanting to hear her keep speaking with such softness in her voice.

"Like waking up from a dream," she answers, knowing she's spoken those words before but is having trouble remembering when, the fog creeping in around the edges of her memories, "A really good dream. And I just want to go back to sleep."

He wishes he could do that for her, take her back to any moment of quiet comfort and stay there. Her lips press along his jawline, her hand pressed firmly against the back of his head, anchoring her and keeping her steady.

He lets his own tears fall as she meets his searing kiss, salt mixing on their lips in a moment of forgotten sadness. They're both aware of their audience, but neither of them seems to be able to bring themselves to care because this could be it. These could be the last moments they get to spend together.

"I can feel it," she whispers, lips still touching his with every word. "It's like fire."

He tucks her back against him, wanting to soak up every moment he can with her before the darkness takes hold and she becomes a shell of her former self.

"I just want to be with you," she says, nuzzling into his neck and breathing him in.

He moves slightly, managing to press his lips to the crown of head in comfort, "Darling, nothing will stop that. I've spent centuries chasing the Dark One. I won't stop now."

Her hands clinging to his lapels, she pulls back just enough that she can see the honesty in his eyes. This man has consistently shown up for her, has been there to hold her and protect her and to back her up. And she wonders when he will reach his limit. Because there _has_ to be a limit. She can't be worth so much of his time.

And yet, somehow, she believes him.

It's the last coherent thought she can muster before she starts to feel the Dark One taking over. With black magic coursing through her veins and clinging to every flicker of light, she watches as Killian begins to fade from her sight. Her heart pounds in her chest and she rips herself away from the pirate, hunching over to try and catch her breath as the dagger burns red hot in her hand.

When she manages to catch Killian's gaze for a final time, he's looking upon her as though he doesn't recognise her and there is a still a small part of Emma that feels pain at that. But a much larger and dominant part cries out in triumph of its victory.

Her new powers rear up inside of her, encasing her in a swirling storm of purple smoke, and she finds herself smiling as she disappears from their sight – smiling at the potential inside of her, smiling for the power she holds. It's dangerous and wild and gripping at her soul as though the light inside of her had never existed.

But, even so, as she vanishes from the main street of Storybrooke, a small rebellion takes place inside of her, her light magic overthrowing the dark for a split second – just long enough for Emma to rid herself of the burden of the dagger, to allow it to fall into Killian's hands.

He looks down at the blade and then back up to the space on the road where Emma had stood moments before. David claps him on the shoulder, watching him with sympathy in his gaze. "We'll get her back," he says, resolutely a smattering of agreement coming from Mary Margaret, Regina and Robin.

Killian smiles, grip tightening on the hilt of the dagger. A small part of Emma still trusts him enough to hold her soul in his hand, so when he answers with, "I know," it's the truth.

…

 _ **Thoughts?**_


End file.
